Borne by CRWNMAG: A Manifesto
“You didn’t fail.”
I’ll never forget the chubby brunette nurse’s words as she attempted to empathize with me — a brand new, first-time mother — who, against all plans and desires and will, just had my body cut open to remove my first born baby boy. After 50+ hours of labor and my first-ever surgery, this attempt of reassurance by a woman I’d met a day prior (and who’d asked absolutely nothing about me, my history or my current emotional state) felt disingenuous — condescending, even. She’d been here before — regurgitating the same shallow, tone-deaf script she’d used on dozens of mothers before.
Except I knew better.
I did everything I was told would protect me — hired midwives, made a plan, educated myself. But I still didn’t know my rights. And I didn’t yet trust my body.
I fell prey to a culture of fear that treats all birth as a medical emergency.
One intervention led to another. After literal days of labor, I ended up with a C-section I didn’t want, followed by an early postpartum experience shrouded in coercion and trauma — the very thing that made me want a home birth to begin with.
I share this not because I love talking about it (or myself, for that matter) but because you’ve likely heard a version of this story before.
That was almost six years ago. And even then, as they wheeled me out of the hospital holding my beautiful newborn son, I knew: this will not be how the story ends.
Since Then…
I’ve gone on to experience two glorious home births (with a birth team that’s now my family). I’ve trained as a doula. I’ve served mothers, pre-conception through postpartum. I’ve studied, unpacked my first birth experience and had tough conversations with other birth workers. And here’s what I know now:
I could blame my midwives. The OB. The well-meaning nurse who couldn’t actually see me. I could blame myself. But the truth is — all of us were operating inside a system, and a culture, that sets us up to fail.
Because the system isn’t broken — it’s functioning exactly as intended:
Prioritizing profit over people.
Treating birth like a liability.
Erasing culture, intuition and care in the name of clinical efficiency.
The results?
Black women are 3-4x more likely to die due to childbirth-related causes — and rising.
More than 32% of US births are by c-section — over double the World Health Organization’s recommendation.
Black women are 25% more likely to birth by c-section — often unnecessarily, and against families’ wishes.
The US is the only high-income country that doesn’t offer federally mandated maternity leave.
This is unacceptable.
Too many of us are silently enduring the unthinkable, during what could be the most profound moments of our lives — and then we’re pressured to “snap back” and get back to work. If we’re lucky.
Families are left to navigate trauma. Birth workers are left burnt out and unsupported. Children are born into survival mode — not freedom.
I created Borne to change that.
To raise the standard of care by raising our expectations — of the system, yes, but also of what’s available to us.
We offer tools, language and guidance to help families trust their bodies, advocate for themselves, and build a village that sees them — before and after birth.
And we’re here for the birth workers, too — to lighten the load, lift up their work and connect the dots.
Because we remember what they’ve tried to make us forget: birth belongs to us.
WE BELIEVE IN:
Family-Centered Care: Maternal care begins with the needs of the mother, baby and family — not the institution.
Whole-Person Care: Every individual deserves care that reflects their values, culture and full humanity.
Informed Consent: Everyone navigating reproductive care deserves full transparency and real options.
Physiological Birth: Birth is a powerful, natural process — medical care should be accessible, but not the default.
Innate Wisdom: The body knows. Our communities hold wisdom. We honor both.
Generational Healing: When we restore the rites around birth, we begin to heal what came before — and what’s to come.
Redefining Safety: Disrupting the idea that the safest birth is the most medicalized one.
WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT:
Normalized Trauma: Just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s okay.
Survival as Success: “Healthy baby, healthy mom,” isn’t the whole story.
Profit Over People: Care should be led by values — not billing codes.
Uniformity & Elitism: There is no “right way” — only your way, supported.
Burnout as a Badge: Birth workers deserve support — not self-sacrifice.
Power Struggles: Hierarchy has no place in healing.
We’re raising the standard of care for expecting mothers and families — by raising our expectations.
Because let’s face it: the system isn’t going to make itself less profitable.
Real change will only happen from the ground up — when families are informed, birth workers are supported and communities come together to demand something better.
This isn’t just about awareness — it’s about action. Unlearning & reprogramming. Dedication. Strategy. Nuance. Humility. Sacrifice. And whole lotta love.
This is my calling.
To learn to heal myself and my family, and to support others who are ready to do the same.
Borne by CRWNMAG is here to lighten the load, to connect the dots and to build the tools to improve birth outcomes.
This burden can’t continue to rest solely on the shoulders of vulnerable, expecting mothers and overworked, misunderstood birth workers. We must work together to co-create the care we so desperately need.
So consider this an invitation.
Let’s move beyond survival mode, into a reality where family-centered care is the default standard of care.
Whether you’re expecting for the first time, planning to conceive; considering a home birth, unmedicated birth or VBAC — or if you’re a partner, auntie or grandparent ready to step up for the loved ones who need your support….
Join us in raising the standard. For ourselves. For each other. For generations to come.
Join the waitlist to be the first to know — and help shape what comes next.